Storage box

ABSTRACT

A storage box includes an upper box body and a lower box body defining a respective top open chamber and hinged together in such a manner that the upper box body can be turned horizontally relative to the lower box body between a received position where the upper box body and the lower box body are vertically arranged in a stack, and an extended position where the upper box body and the lower box body are set in an offset relationship and the upper box body defines with the lower box body a bottom open chamber below the top open chamber of the upper box body for storage items.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a storage box and more particularly, toa folding collapsible storage box.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various storage boxes of different materials are known and commerciallyavailable for storing things. In order to safe storage space,collapsible storage boxes are developed. A known collapsible storage boxcomprises a rectangular box body made of soft fabric, horizontal andvertical rod members respectively fastened to the four sides of each ofthe vertical lateral panels and bottom panel of the box body, and a hardbottom plate attached to the bottom panel inside the box body forsupporting storage items. This design of collapsible storage box isfunctional. However, it is not attractive to consumers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances inview. According to one aspect of the present invention, the storage boxcomprises a lower box body, the lower box body defining a top openchamber for storage items, an upper box body, the upper box bodydefining a top open chamber for storage items, means connecting betweenthe upper box body and the lower box body so that the upper box body canbe turned horizontally relative to the lower box body between a receivedposition where the upper box body and the lower box body are verticallyarranged in a stack and the top open chamber of the lower box body isclosed by the upper box body, and an extended position where the upperbox body and the lower box body are set in an offset relationship andthe upper box body defines with the lower box body a bottom open chamberbelow the top open chamber of the upper box body for storage items.According to another aspect of the present invention, the upper body andthe lower body can be made of canvass, each having a plurality ofvertically extended folding lines through which the box bodies can befolded into a flat collapsed condition. According to still anotheraspect of the present invention, at least one hard connecting plate isprovided for fastening to the upper box body and the lower box body tohold the upper box body and the lower box body in the extended position.According to still another aspect of the present invention, each hardconnecting plate comprises two male fastening elements, and the upperbox body and the lower box body each comprise at least one femalefastening element adapted to receive the male fastening elements of theat least one connecting plate. Further, the upper box body and the lowerbox body can be made having a rectangular or cylindrical configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a storage box constructed according tothe present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the storage box shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing showing folding of the storage box shownin FIG. 2 after removal of the top cover and the hard bottom plates fromthe upper box body and the lower box body.

FIG. 4 is corresponding to FIG. 3, showing the storage box fullycollapsed.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of an alternate form of the storage boxaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of another alternate form of the storagebox according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of still another alternate form of thestorage box according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is corresponding to FIG. 7, showing the storage box set in theextended position.

FIG. 9 is an extended view of still another alternate form of thestorage box according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1, a storage box is shown constructed according to oneembodiment of the present invention and covered with a top cover 42.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the storage box shown in FIG. 1, showingthe upper box body 10 horizontally turned outwards from the lower boxbody 20. The upper box body 10 and the lower box body 20 are made ofsoft fabric (for example, canvass) with the respective four horizontaltop sides and four horizontal bottom sides and four vertical anglesrespectively supported with a respective rigid rod member to maintainthe shape. A hard bottom plate 40 is attached to the top surface of thebottom panel of the box body 10 or 20 for supporting storage items. Theupper box body 10 defines a top open chamber 12 for storing things. Theupper box body 10 further has an angled extension wall verticallydownwardly extended from the outer lateral side and the back side,thereby defining a bottom open chamber 14 after the upper box body 10has been extended out of the lower box body 20. The upper box body 10further has vertically extended folding lines 16, and is provided with afastening device 18. A support 28 is hinged to the outer surface of theinner lateral side of the lower box body 20, and can be turned relativeto the lower box body 20.

The lower box body 20 is symmetrical to the upper box body 10, having anangled extension wall vertically upwardly extended from the outerlateral side and the back side, thereby defining a top open chamber 22for keeping things. The lower box body 20 further comprises The upperbox body 10 has folding lines 16 in the front, and is provided with afastening device 36 corresponding to the fastening device 18 of theupper box body 10. A flexible hinge 38 is connected between one verticalangle of the upper box body 10 and one vertical angle of the lower boxbody 20 so that the upper box body 10 and the lower box body 20 can behorizontally turned relative to each other between the received positionwhere the upper box body 10 and the lower box body 20 are arranged in astack (see FIG. 1), and the extended position where the upper box body10 and the lower box body 20 are in an offset relationship (see FIG. 2).After the upper box body 10 has been extended out of the lower box body20, the support 28 is turned outwards from the lower box body 20 to stopthe top side against the bottom side of the upper box body 10, giving asupport to the upper box body 10 (see FIG. 2). When set in the extendedposition, the top open chamber 12 and bottom open chamber 14 of theupper box body 10 as well as the top open chamber 22 of the lower boxbody 20 are opened for storing things.

After removal of the hard bottom plates 40 from the upper box body 10and the lower box body 20, the support 28 is turned inwards and closelyattached to the lower box body 20, and then the upper box body 10 andthe lower box body 20 are folded up along the respective folding lines16, 24 and received in a flat condition as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Further, the extension wall of the upper box body 10 and the extensionwall of the lower box body 20 are so arranged that the four verticallateral sides of the storage box are maintained in a flush manner afterthe upper box body 10 and the lower box body 20 have been set in thereceived position. The upper box body 10 and the lower box body 20 maybe respectively provided with a handle 34 for carrying.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show two different alternate forms of the storage box. Asillustrated, a number of vertically linked upper box bodies 10 and anumber of vertically linked lower box bodies 20 are hinged together andcan be turned between the received position and the extended positionlike the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1˜4. Further, connecting plates 30may be used to connect the respective upper box bodies 10 to therespective lower box bodies 20 in the extended position. Each connectingplate 30 has male (female) fastening elements 32 at the ends forfastening to respective female (male) fastening elements (not shown) atthe upper box bodies 10 and the lower box bodies 20.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show still another alternate form of the storage boxaccording to the present invention. According to this embodiment, theupper box body 10 and the lower box body 20 have a cylindricalconfiguration. The upper box body 10 has a part of the bottom sideconnected to a part of the top side of the lower box body 20 in such amanner that the upper box body 10 can be turned horizontally relative tothe lower box body 20 between the received position as shown in FIG. 7and the extended position as shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 shows still another alternate form of the storage box accordingto the present invention. According to this embodiment, the upper boxbody 10 and the lower box body 20 are respectively made of bamboostrips, and fastened together with a metal hinge 26.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described indetail for purposes of illustration, various modifications andenhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except asby the appended claims.

1. A storage box comprising a lower box body, said lower box bodydefining a top open chamber for storage items, an upper box body, saidupper box body defining a top open chamber for storage items, meansconnecting between said upper box body and said lower box body so thatsaid upper box body can be turned horizontally relative to said lowerbox body between a received position where said upper box body and saidlower box body are vertically arranged in a stack and the top openchamber of said lower box body is closed by said upper box body, and anextended position where said upper box body and said lower box body areset in an offset relationship and said upper box body defines with saidlower box body a bottom open chamber below the top open chamber of saidupper box body for storage items.
 2. The storage box as claimed in claim1, wherein said upper body and said lower body are made of canvass, eachhaving a plurality of vertically extended folding lines.
 3. The storagebox as claimed in claim 2, further comprising at least one hardconnecting plate for fastening to said upper box body and said lower boxbody to hold said upper box body and said lower box body in saidextended position.
 4. The storage box as claimed in claim 3, whereinsaid at least one hard connecting plate each comprises two malefastening elements; said upper box body and said lower box body eachcomprise at least one female fastening element adapted to receive themale fastening elements of said at least one connecting plate.
 5. Thestorage box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper box body and saidlower box body have a rectangular configuration.
 6. The storage box asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said upper box body and said lower box bodyhave a cylindrical configuration.
 7. The storage box as claimed in claim1, wherein said upper box body and said lower box body are made ofbamboo strips.